An illustrated, humorous introduction to world history with a emphasis on violence and villains.

Terry Deary presents the foul but fascinating story of humans, from brain-nibbling Neanderthals to the terrified teenage soldiers in the twentieth century - all in glorious and goriest colour and now in flexi-bound paperback format. The truth about foul fighting is revealed in the Horrible Histories Rules of War, and readers can meet fifty of the most vicious villains of all time in the frightful fold-out feature. History has never been so horrible.

THE HORRIBLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD presents the foul but fascinating story of humans from brain-nibbling Neanderthals to terrified teenage soldiers in the twentieth century. You can discover why Alexander the Great banned beards, what smelly sport was played by samurai warriors and who tried to bump off her enemies with a cake made with poisoned bath-water. It's all you ever need to know about the wicked world - all the gore and more!

If you ever hear old folk moaning on about the world today, just remind them how woeful things were in World War II. When Hitler's horrid army were goose-stepping round the globe, nearly everything in Europe was totally AWFUL! Read on to discover... * The dreadful truth about Dad's Army * What happened when an elephant got loose in the blackout * Who made a meal out of maggots * Which smelly soldiers were sniffed out by their enemies * Why wearing white knickers could kill you What with doodlebug bombs dropping out of the sky and sweet rationing driving kids (and teachers) mad, life in the Second World War was truly wicked. So from snow-bound cities under siege to fly-infested jungle trenches, and from rotten rationing recipes to awful invasions, discover all the dire details about the worst war EVER!

OK - we know that history is horrible. But it's never nastier than in a rowdy revolution, when the perilous people rise up against their rotten rulers! This book gives you the bone-chilling facts behind some of the bloodiest revolutions ever, from France and Russia to China and India.

Sail back to a vicious time with fearsome seafaring Viking warriors with big boats, big shields and enormous ginger beards. Readers can discover all the foul facts about the Vicious Vikings, including Viking gods in wedding dresses, corpses on trial and Death by booby-trapped statues. With a bold, accessible new look, these bestselling titles are sure to be a huge hit with yet another generation of Terry Deary fans. Revised by the author and illustrated throughout to make Horrible Histories more accessible to young readers.

Go back into the really rotten times of the Romans, where there were beastly battles, deadly doctors and marvellous myths. Discover what Roman soldiers wore under their kilts, how ancient Britons got their hair nice and how Romans told the future with dead chickens. With a bold, accessible new look, these bestselling titles are sure to be a huge hit with yet another generation of Terry Deary fans. Revised by the author to make Horrible Histories more accessible to young readers.

Filled with all the festive facts every HORRIBLE HISTORIES reader wants to know! The complete horrible history of Christmas tells tales from the dark days when the Puritans tried to abolish Christmas, to Christmas in the trenches whenthe British and Germans traded bullets for footballs. Plus dreadful jokes, rotten recipes and a Christmas quiz!

Readers can discover all the foul facts about the Stormin' Normans, including why Norman knights slept with a dolly and which pirate hung up his eye-patch. With a bold, accessible new look and revised by the author, these bestselling titles are sure to be a huge hit with yet another generation of Terry Deary fans.

Think you would have liked being an Ancient Egyptian? Not after you've read this book! Discover the disgusting details of their groovy gods, their potty pyramids and (of course!) their mad mummies. Find out how a hunted hippo got his own back on a foul pharaoh! Discover the truth about cool queen Cleo and the curse of Tutankhaumun! There's also a Top Ten of funny pharaohs, a Mad Mummies quiz and lots of foul facts about the messy mistakes the Egyptians made before becoming mummy-making experts. History has never been so horrible!